It's been a long time since the grass artificial ( synthetic grass in Mexico) went from soccer fields to form a bush synthetic grass green in outdoor areas of gardens, swimming pools, a new flooring for attics, balconies, terraces, public spaces or hotels.
With the technical advances in its materials, the synthetic grass is the perfect substitute for grass natural with important advantages in its maintenance and with really realistic looking results.
In addition, it is perfect in those places where weather circumstances or other aspects, it is difficult Let the natural grass grow. Undoubtedly, there are three aspects that define their quality:
The artificial grass are synthetic fibers that it looks like natural grass , they hide many secrets that you should know to buy the most suitable quality. Here, we explain everything step by step, let's get started!
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Make no mistake, both systems have their advantages and disadvantages there is no perfect one! The differences begin to notice how much more surface and garden space we need cover with synthetic grass .
| They have a guarantee on parts and installation, if applicable. | High-priced ones look natural and pleasant. |
| Significant savings in water compared to the natural grass model . | The touch can be soft and comfortable. |
| They are resistant and hygienic. | They are already manufactured with recovery techniques vertical fibers. |
A major advantage. We have the green color all year round . | Quality ones are not very abrasive. | |
| | They are manufactured to resist fire (They have various certificates) |
| Weather proof: cold, sun, rain, ice. | They do not generate bad odors. |
| The soil is not contaminated with fertilizers and chemicals. | There are manufactured to resist UV rays or chlorine the pools. |
For us it is not about price (which does matter), because We believe that the debate goes more in tastes. Each thing has its pros and cons.
A natural garden has nothing to do with the artificial gram , no matter how successful the product! that is the reality!
A natural garden is a "time saver" (planting, cutting the pasture and burn it, irrigate, fertilize and transplant dead zones, change broken sprinklers, etc) its maintenance is very important. And on a pre-made lawn, maintenance is minimum, with which you save time to dedicate it to what you want.
| If you want to have quality material an artificial grass . the square meter (m2) is high. No simple plastic shavings! |
| For medium-large surfaces it is necessary Hire a specialized company for your installation is adequate and will last us over time. |
| As we normally always travel through the same site, over time, plastic shavings begin to look a bit flattened (Especially with artificial grass cheap) |
| Being a non-natural material, it gets hot in summer. Especially when the filaments are of high quality. Some companies offer technologies that reduce your warming up before the Sun. |
| That freshness and smell of natural grass is lost |
| Dirt buildup is more difficult to remove than in natural grass. |
| Although years have to pass, the loss of that color initial is there. |
Although we could classify it by the type of material (More we will explain it in detail later) or those that require sand silica and those that don't.
For us, the most appropriate thing is to order it according to use. This aspect normally influences the thickness, softness, greenish aesthetics, in its assembly and in the purchase price. The types of artificial grass that we find in the market by use are:
| Grass types artificial | Average lawn height in millimeters | Estimated usage |
| Artificial grass for garden | 40 – 60mm | moderate |
| Artificial grass around swimming pools | 40 – 60mm | moderate |
| Artificial grass for terraces, roofs and patios | 40 – 60mm | moderate |
| Artificial grass for landscaping and decoration | 25 – 40mm | frequent |
| Artificial grass for kindergartens and schools | 30 – 50mm | intensive |
| Artificial grass for multi-sports fields | 25 mm in average (paddle tennis courts, tennis courts 15 – 20 mm) | intensive |
| Artificial grass for green areas and urban planning | 25 – 40mm | frequent |
| Artificial grass for events (carpet style) | 9 – 25mm | intensive |
| Artificial grass for corporate gardens (style carpet) | 9 – 25mm | intensive |
In stores there is a wide range of models of synthetic grass to buy, good! Many options is synonymous with being able to choose, but, in turn, also is synonymous with a lot of competition and bad practices for sell us a material that really is not as good as we count.
Assembling this green paving in our garden represents an important investment and therefore we want good results and last over time. But… What increases the price of artificial grass?
The only way to know if we are buying a good quality artificial material to replace grass natural, is to know its characteristics and components.
How to know if a synthetic grass is of quality? You'll have to read a bit more, if you don't want to throwing money out the window, that's the reality!
We are going to see all the key points to identify a Quality industrial grass looks good and you will buy the best! That is the best recommendation we can make you.
Although we can install the synthetic grass wherever we want, interior areas , spaces exteriors , vertically, etc., the most recommended by manufacturers we can break them down in:
| Home area | Sports areas (Facilities sports) | Kids area |
| Terrace | Football Field | Nurseries |
| Garden | Paddle court | Playgrounds |
| Pool | Tennis court | |
| Yard | Golf Course and Minigolf | |
| Balcony | Gym (Crossfit) | |
| Attic | Multisport | |
| Wall (vertical garden) | ||
| Pet area | Events area | Public space area |
| Spaces for dogs | Outdoor events | Gardens |
| Spaces for cats | Fairs | Squares and urban areas |
By the way, about interior gardens and decoration, We have an extensive guide on how to set up a vertical garden in house recommended! With many tips.
In the following diagram we have indicated the parts that we consider most important to identify a piece of quality artificial grass And later, we will explain them to the detail.
There are some components of the structure that we should review their concepts to later be able to choose the best product for our facility:
And what can we extract from here? In part, these aspects indicate the quality of the model that we are going to buy and what we simplify in:
A quick way to indicate the quality of a fiber is the density of the rope . Although it depends on its weight (DTEX) and volume (microns, height and width), is You can check the density of the threads by looking at candling.
From the previous image, if we move to a store to ask about prices, we will see a labeling that more or less corresponds to the previous annotations. we will see a tag like:
We are beginning to understand a little more about the components that forms synthetic grasses. Now it's time to analyze a little more to see what we should pay attention to…
Synthetic fibers that look like natural grass can be divided into two large groups according to how the thread is manufactured: fibrillated and monofilament . TO broad features we would have:
| Yarn fibers fibrillated | Yarn fibers monofilament |
| Initially unnatural looking. Over time takes on a better appearance when split. | It looks more natural |
| It is usually cheaper | It is usually more expensive |
| Frequent applications in sports venues | Applications for all uses |
The monofilament yarn fiber, in the factory, is made an extrusion in its final part that provides a different shape with the intention – mainly – of improving its stability before the footfall (prevent the green cloak from ducking):
As we have commented in the previous section, the fibrillation of an artificial grass in width and thickness of the fiber is important since it provides resistance to the wear more is better! It will be a factor we can compare when buying the substrate.
By the way, avoid a field of colored grass! Useful for parks with children!
What is the ideal height of the lawn artificial? Depending on the use and transit of People should opt for a height of grass . In media, for the garden, landscaping and decoration is recommended between 30 and 50 mm. if we are a little clueless in the height we can see:
Getting to this key point! we have to see the materials to see its resistance and water drainage…
Each manufacturer has its innovations in materials and fabrication to create a green space , but, the base of the material used for the synthetic fiber or the backing (Base), more or less, is the same for everyone.
As a general rule, rolled fiber and the blanket of the base made in Europe are of good quality There are good manufacturers in Spain! Avoid the one made in Asia, does not provide good results. Neither the carpet of green grass , is considered as such.
These materials have their advantages and disadvantages; more or less resistance and hardness, flexibility, softness, supports better temperature changes, etc. so we have a schema to better see the properties and characteristics:
There is often a discussion about whether underlay matting (Backing), when applying the sealing material; latex or polyurethane (PU), which one is better. But, in reality, new technologies They are bringing quality materials into both products. TO professional level, for example in Soccer, FIFA has a quality guide on Artificial Grass.
When we go shopping, they are sold in rolls sealed with plastic. Professionals opt for rolls of 2 meters wide (the most common) and 4 m. in the big surfaces we can also find it one meter wide and "cut" in length, for ease of transport.
The smaller the roll of grass , more gaskets, more installation work and more potential problems It's aesthetic, keep that in mind!
A fill material is necessary for a blade – fiber (yarn) is held vertically. If there is nothing, it will remain lying down after a while.
In addition, it provides weight and stability to the green carpet. A more comfortable, soft and soft feeling underfoot. HE better maintains humidity in summer or acts as a filter regulating in case of rain like crazy.
Here manufacturers have various systems to achieve that filling material that will give us extra features :
| Artificial grass recommended with padding for: | Artificial grass recommended no padding for: |
| In spaces with intensive uses. | Terraces, patios, balconies, roofs (Avoid adding more weight) |
| When we cover medium and large surfaces. | Covering smaller surfaces |
| In changing weather conditions (variations of temperature). | In temporary applications: events, for example. |
| High temperatures in summer (the sand keeps more humidity). | Applications for interiors or vertical use. |
| Highly recommended for public spaces and recreational. | Decorative use at fairs, counters, etc. |
| You can also use coconut fiber, other synthetic materials, etc. | Use activity is less intensive. |
We must not forget that a grass field Does it need some kind of conduit for the water to circulate? properly How do you allow the base to pass water adequately?
Although they are small and barely noticeable, they must be there! To withstand even the most intense downpours. The most products allow drainage of at least 50 liters of water, per square meter, per minute.
We insist again that, in the case of installing it near pool, it is recommended that the thread have some protection certified for its chlorine. and review our article on maintenance, cleaning and treatment of swimming pools is a good guide! With several useful tips.
It is advisable to use a draining sheet that will go under the synthetic grass. light material and flexible, with a core of polypropylene filaments, which provides better drainage capacity.
When used under paved installations or landscaped terraces, provides a more comfortable tread and favors drainage.
At this key point, we already know that in the details there is the quality and that is why we have written a guide quite wide. About the product we must look:
Forget about cheap artificial grass ! time will prove us right! You are facing a long investment term and the quality shows a lot.
And in broad strokes, together with the budget that we want to spend, we can follow these steps for an election correct:
Remember that we don't just have to buy grass artificial in Leroy Merlin , Home Depot , Carrefour, Bricomart , Bricodepot , Lidl . There's a lot companies specialized in gardening with models and fibers quality synthetics, with consistent prices that launch interesting offers and tight budgets. Also, they know what do they do!
Also online we can quickly compare prices that appear on Amazon or search for brands to verify the price of sale.
By the way, in measurements, the rolls of artificial grass they have different lengths; 2 meters, 3 and 4 m, and in width It is usually around 2 linear meters. Those are the measurements common.
There is also the possibility of buying grass artificial to the cut , that is, you can choose the width to be cut from a roll very useful for terraces! And places that we need less quantity.
For small surfaces and if you are a handyman, you can install without any problem! (Small terraces, balcony, rooftops or a small garden). When we talk about surfaces medium or large My recommendation is to look for a company professional and that offers an adequate guarantee in installation and materials (Material guarantee is around 8 – 10 years).
How to measure a surface to install grass artificial? A good explanation can be found in the next video…
In the assembly, a series of tools are needed to work coherently; from gloves to binding tape, the adhesive, a possible anti-weed mesh, some staples or a base of protection for impact most used in spaces of playtime. A general summary would be:
If you combine with live plants and other small shrubs in corners. It will give you the feeling of greater comfort and overall, it will be very good. We advise you to read the article on plants for interiors of houses by the advice.
Here we mainly find two situations:
| Tools artificial grass installation | |
| On screed - pavement | On a natural basis |
| A cutter or cutting blade | A cutter or cutting blade |
| Join tape | Join tape |
| A notched spatula | A notched spatula |
| Two-component polyurethane adhesive | Two-component polyurethane adhesive |
| Anti-weed geotextile mesh | |
| Fixing staples or nails | |
If you need any tools for DIY, online Some offers usually appear as you can see from HERE.
We better leave a video of how to install a synthetic grass on pavement that we believe has an explanation coherent.
Two helpful tips when putting it up:
We better leave a video of how to run a lawn of synthetic fabrication on earth that we believe has a coherent explanation.
Simple care is required to prolong its good appearance and preserve its properties over the years.
A synthetic pavement and like any other, being exposed to the weather and to the traffic of people appearance tarnishes. We must follow at least:
And as final data. Whether from a professional perspective or sports and training facilities, from the Institute of Biomechanics of Valencia (Spain) organizes a training course specifically on ARTIFICIAL GRASS. I don't know prices, but a cutting-edge technology center and highly reputable at the international.
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